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FBI Agent Susan Parker #1
The Therapy Room
It’s a typical farm kitchen. A large table fills the space, and in one of the chairs is the lifeless body of Doctor Magnusson. Under his feet and the dusty wooden floorboards lie the basement – and twelve therapy rooms. Behind each locked door, the victims are about to be rescued…
When a world-renowned psychiatrist is found dead in an abandoned ranch house in the Californian Santa Carina Valley, a post-it note with the words ‘Susan Parker’ and her cell phone number is taped to the basement door.
Still grieving her husband’s devastating suicide less than a year ago, FBI agent Susan Parker is taking a break from work and trying to rebuild her life as a single mom to her seven-year-old daughter Natalie. When she’s called to the crime scene of Doctor Magnusson, a chill runs down her spine.
For years, Susan had been trying to hunt down the doctor, convinced he was the serial killer known as ‘Splinter.’ Someone is playing a cruel game with her, and they’ve only just begun.
Desperate to speak to the twelve victims rescued from the locked therapy rooms, Susan finds herself faced with a wall of silence. Why won’t they talk?
Battling her demons while confronting the toughest case she’s ever had to solve. Susan discovers a chilling truth about the true nature of ‘Splinter’ – a killer preying on those seeking therapy.
But that’s not all she finds…
She’s about to uncover a shocking secret behind her husband’s death – one that links him to the Splinter case.
With her family’s safety hanging in the balance and her career on the line, can Susan protect her precious daughter and prevent a new killing spree before it’s too late?
A totally addictive and heart-stopping page-turner that will have fans of Robert Dugoni, Charlie Donlea and Lisa Regan reading late into the night.
When a world-renowned psychiatrist is found dead in an abandoned ranch house in the Californian Santa Carina Valley, a post-it note with the words ‘Susan Parker’ and her cell phone number is taped to the basement door.
Still grieving her husband’s devastating suicide less than a year ago, FBI agent Susan Parker is taking a break from work and trying to rebuild her life as a single mom to her seven-year-old daughter Natalie. When she’s called to the crime scene of Doctor Magnusson, a chill runs down her spine.
For years, Susan had been trying to hunt down the doctor, convinced he was the serial killer known as ‘Splinter.’ Someone is playing a cruel game with her, and they’ve only just begun.
Desperate to speak to the twelve victims rescued from the locked therapy rooms, Susan finds herself faced with a wall of silence. Why won’t they talk?
Battling her demons while confronting the toughest case she’s ever had to solve. Susan discovers a chilling truth about the true nature of ‘Splinter’ – a killer preying on those seeking therapy.
But that’s not all she finds…
She’s about to uncover a shocking secret behind her husband’s death – one that links him to the Splinter case.
With her family’s safety hanging in the balance and her career on the line, can Susan protect her precious daughter and prevent a new killing spree before it’s too late?
A totally addictive and heart-stopping page-turner that will have fans of Robert Dugoni, Charlie Donlea and Lisa Regan reading late into the night.
310 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 23, 2024
294 people are currently reading
812 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 284 reviews
February 20, 2024
When FBI Agent Susan Parker was called to the rundown farmhouse, the horrors which were uncovered brought them closer to the serial killer "Splinter". The dead man in the chair in the kitchen was a well known therapist - was he Splinter? The discovery of individual rooms in the basement - therapy rooms - each with a malnourished, dehydrated and battered victim inside, was a breakthrough. But there was much more to the case than was initially obvious.
Parker had been off on leave after her husband Amit had died twelve months prior. Seeing a psychologist during that period, she was more than shocked when he said she was fit to return to work. After promising her sister-in-law she wouldn't go back to work yet, she did. Her seven year old daughter, Natalie, deaf from birth, was an angel, and Lata, Amit's sister, cared for Natalie when Susan was working. Her family life was important - but so was her job, and bringing down Splinter was a priority, especially now they had new leads...
The Therapy Room is the 1st in the FBI Agent Susan Parker series by Sam Baron and I enjoyed it, even though I picked the "bad guy" early in the piece. Fast paced, electric and heart thumping, I found the interactions and camaraderie between Susan and her team, were great. I'm very much looking forward to #2, and recommend The Therapy Room highly.
With thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Parker had been off on leave after her husband Amit had died twelve months prior. Seeing a psychologist during that period, she was more than shocked when he said she was fit to return to work. After promising her sister-in-law she wouldn't go back to work yet, she did. Her seven year old daughter, Natalie, deaf from birth, was an angel, and Lata, Amit's sister, cared for Natalie when Susan was working. Her family life was important - but so was her job, and bringing down Splinter was a priority, especially now they had new leads...
The Therapy Room is the 1st in the FBI Agent Susan Parker series by Sam Baron and I enjoyed it, even though I picked the "bad guy" early in the piece. Fast paced, electric and heart thumping, I found the interactions and camaraderie between Susan and her team, were great. I'm very much looking forward to #2, and recommend The Therapy Room highly.
With thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
January 13, 2024
Firstly I would like to thank netgalley and storm publishing and the author Sam Baron for a early copy of his book.
This is the first book,Susan husband dies from suicide, she goes to a farmhouse and discovers a body,who is he? Theres 12 therapy rooms in the basement,a post it note on the door of Susan name and number.the captives are not speaking...this was an okay read for me wasnt exciting enough so my rating is 3.5....
This is the first book,Susan husband dies from suicide, she goes to a farmhouse and discovers a body,who is he? Theres 12 therapy rooms in the basement,a post it note on the door of Susan name and number.the captives are not speaking...this was an okay read for me wasnt exciting enough so my rating is 3.5....
February 24, 2024
I’ve thought long and hard about this review. When I started reading I was engrossed in it quite soon, and that’s how my rating ended up with 3 stars instead of 2. The more I read however, the more I realized two things: the author wanted to write an exciting thriller with engaging characters and a good plot and second, he didn’t succeed at all.
Pity. There is indeed a good plot but it’s full of holes. There are very different characters, good, bad and both. But this debut could have been so much better if the author had taken the time to have it beta-read and sought the help of a good editor.
After finishing the book I looked at what other reviewers wrote about this book and I discovered that I’m not the only reviewer with these feelings.
Of course it’s fine if an author wants to write a story that’s more inclusive than the usual stories with ‘a detective with problems in his/her past’. But to make Susan a widow from Indian descend and diagnosed with autism and ADHD feels over the top. Especially because we don’t read anything about how the diagnoses are either helping or hindering her. She has a deaf daughter. No problem, apart from the fact that I thought her way too precocious – and suddenly every kid that meets her seems to get to learn sign language within days.
She also has a sister-in-law that’s living with her to look after her and her daughter. This sister-in-law is a gay ex-marine – why she’s living with them and how she earns a living now is not disclosed.
Then there is the mother-in-law from hell, and the kind and lovable father-in-law. Later in the story there is a vague reference to the parents-in-law apparently having something to do with a dodgy company and thus with the site of the crimes.
And then there is the question about Amit: was is suicide or murder? We never learn whether he was FBI too or what his motives were to kill himself – if he indeed did so. At the end of the book there is a hint that we learn more about him in part two of the series but I’m not going to read that.
Susan’s been seeing a psychologist for almost a year but suddenly, without warning, she’s fit for work as the victims in the therapy rooms are found. There is an early reference to Splinter, whom the FBI thinks is a serial killer… but it takes them to about the 80% mark in the book before they finally see the whole picture. Susan’s also superhuman as she at the end of the book is cold, wet, famished, bleeding and so on and immediately after a long, long confession of the culprit, finds the strength for a long, long explanation how she solved the case.
I finished the book because apart from the weird dialogues (especially with the British policeman, who sounds like a detective in a British tv-series from the fifties) there is something there. Something I cannot put a name on, but it is there. I hope the author finds a way to rewrite this book, keep the good parts and throw out the bad ones, and then goes on and write another book in the series.
EDIT: I just saw that the second book in the series is already out! I'll read the reviews soon to see whether this second book is better than the first.
Thanks to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for this review copy.
Pity. There is indeed a good plot but it’s full of holes. There are very different characters, good, bad and both. But this debut could have been so much better if the author had taken the time to have it beta-read and sought the help of a good editor.
After finishing the book I looked at what other reviewers wrote about this book and I discovered that I’m not the only reviewer with these feelings.
Of course it’s fine if an author wants to write a story that’s more inclusive than the usual stories with ‘a detective with problems in his/her past’. But to make Susan a widow from Indian descend and diagnosed with autism and ADHD feels over the top. Especially because we don’t read anything about how the diagnoses are either helping or hindering her. She has a deaf daughter. No problem, apart from the fact that I thought her way too precocious – and suddenly every kid that meets her seems to get to learn sign language within days.
She also has a sister-in-law that’s living with her to look after her and her daughter. This sister-in-law is a gay ex-marine – why she’s living with them and how she earns a living now is not disclosed.
Then there is the mother-in-law from hell, and the kind and lovable father-in-law. Later in the story there is a vague reference to the parents-in-law apparently having something to do with a dodgy company and thus with the site of the crimes.
And then there is the question about Amit: was is suicide or murder? We never learn whether he was FBI too or what his motives were to kill himself – if he indeed did so. At the end of the book there is a hint that we learn more about him in part two of the series but I’m not going to read that.
Susan’s been seeing a psychologist for almost a year but suddenly, without warning, she’s fit for work as the victims in the therapy rooms are found. There is an early reference to Splinter, whom the FBI thinks is a serial killer… but it takes them to about the 80% mark in the book before they finally see the whole picture. Susan’s also superhuman as she at the end of the book is cold, wet, famished, bleeding and so on and immediately after a long, long confession of the culprit, finds the strength for a long, long explanation how she solved the case.
I finished the book because apart from the weird dialogues (especially with the British policeman, who sounds like a detective in a British tv-series from the fifties) there is something there. Something I cannot put a name on, but it is there. I hope the author finds a way to rewrite this book, keep the good parts and throw out the bad ones, and then goes on and write another book in the series.
EDIT: I just saw that the second book in the series is already out! I'll read the reviews soon to see whether this second book is better than the first.
Thanks to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for this review copy.
November 30, 2023
Here’s the deal…. I read this premise, and I had to snatch it up off NetGalley. What doesn’t sound exciting about an old farmhouse being discovered with a bunch of torture chambers in the basement? The dialogue in this was just silly in some parts. I don’t think FBI agents would talk like this. 😳
Susan is an FBI agent who has been suspended for almost a year now due to an incident. One day, another officer that she does not know, randomly calls her and tells her to come to the scene of a crime. Only when she gets there, they discover that there are rooms in the basement that have been holding people prisoner. The only thing is once these people are released, no one will talk.
The theme? Someone is killing therapists and their family members. Who is targeting these people?
I thought the story was extremely suspenseful. I absolutely could not put this down and finished it in 24 hours. However, I did have a problem with some of the dialogue between the FBI agents. I felt like some of this was dialogue straight out of the SWAT movie. I could picture these people literally being in their early 20s other than the agent in charge. There were also times whenever these agents would be on to something and questioning a suspect, and then the suspect would give them an answer that they had suspected themselves only to NOT believe the very answers they were looking for. Lost yet? That confused me. Plus…. Words like ‘Buster’ and ‘Pardner’ were used and these people live in California. No one talks like that unless it’s a comedy.
Still highly suspenseful. Please read the other reviews as well.
I’d like to thank Storm Publishing, NetGalley, and Sam Baron for an ARC. All opinions are my own.
Expected publication date, February 23, 2024.
3.5 ⭐️
Susan is an FBI agent who has been suspended for almost a year now due to an incident. One day, another officer that she does not know, randomly calls her and tells her to come to the scene of a crime. Only when she gets there, they discover that there are rooms in the basement that have been holding people prisoner. The only thing is once these people are released, no one will talk.
The theme? Someone is killing therapists and their family members. Who is targeting these people?
I thought the story was extremely suspenseful. I absolutely could not put this down and finished it in 24 hours. However, I did have a problem with some of the dialogue between the FBI agents. I felt like some of this was dialogue straight out of the SWAT movie. I could picture these people literally being in their early 20s other than the agent in charge. There were also times whenever these agents would be on to something and questioning a suspect, and then the suspect would give them an answer that they had suspected themselves only to NOT believe the very answers they were looking for. Lost yet? That confused me. Plus…. Words like ‘Buster’ and ‘Pardner’ were used and these people live in California. No one talks like that unless it’s a comedy.
Still highly suspenseful. Please read the other reviews as well.
I’d like to thank Storm Publishing, NetGalley, and Sam Baron for an ARC. All opinions are my own.
Expected publication date, February 23, 2024.
3.5 ⭐️
February 23, 2024
The therapy room follows FBI detective Susan Parker and her chase to find a serial killer, suspected to be a therapist / psychologist due to his method of torture and choice of victims.
Susan has been on leave from work due to a blow up following her late husbands suicide, but when the suspect is found deceased, and a note on a basement door containing her name and phone number, leading to 12 victims locked in “therapy rooms”, she is brought back onto the case.
As somebody who studied psychology and is very interested in all things psychological and therapy related, this book definitely peaked my interest. I found the plot to be unique and the brain work of the task force to be gripping and engaging.
Usually I’m not the biggest fan of FBI thrillers, but this had a different kind of vibe to it. I enjoyed watching the case unfold, revelations coming to light and mysterious chases in the fields surrounding the crime scene.
There is lots of inclusion and representation in this book of different races within personal lives and on the work force as well as individuals using sign language.
I found the pacing and momentum of the book to flow at a good speed and there was lots of tension building throughout. The only negative thing I have to say about this book is I was still a little confused to certain events by the end, but it may just be me who missed or overlooked some information provided..
I enjoyed the narrator, Lauryn Allman, she did a great job of keeping it entertaining.
Thank you to Sam Baron, Dreamscape select and NetGalley for an ALC
Susan has been on leave from work due to a blow up following her late husbands suicide, but when the suspect is found deceased, and a note on a basement door containing her name and phone number, leading to 12 victims locked in “therapy rooms”, she is brought back onto the case.
As somebody who studied psychology and is very interested in all things psychological and therapy related, this book definitely peaked my interest. I found the plot to be unique and the brain work of the task force to be gripping and engaging.
Usually I’m not the biggest fan of FBI thrillers, but this had a different kind of vibe to it. I enjoyed watching the case unfold, revelations coming to light and mysterious chases in the fields surrounding the crime scene.
There is lots of inclusion and representation in this book of different races within personal lives and on the work force as well as individuals using sign language.
I found the pacing and momentum of the book to flow at a good speed and there was lots of tension building throughout. The only negative thing I have to say about this book is I was still a little confused to certain events by the end, but it may just be me who missed or overlooked some information provided..
I enjoyed the narrator, Lauryn Allman, she did a great job of keeping it entertaining.
Thank you to Sam Baron, Dreamscape select and NetGalley for an ALC
March 30, 2024
Tripping Over clues......…..
Book Information
The Therapy Room by Sam Baron is a 310-page mystery with a publication date of February 23, 2024. The audio version, Narrated by Lauryn Allman, spans 11 hours and 27 minutes. Thank you to Dreamscape Select for providing me with an Advance Readers Copy for review.
Summary
After the suspicious death of psychiatrist Dr. Magnusson in a Californian ranch house, FBI agent Susan Parker, grappling with her husband's recent suicide, finds herself drawn into the case when her name appears on a note at the crime scene. Convinced Magnusson was the notorious serial killer 'Splinter,' Susan embarks on a perilous investigation, uncovering dark secrets linking the case to her husband's demise. With her family's safety at risk and her career on the line, Susan races against time to stop the killer and unearth the truth before it's too late.
My Thoughts
"The Therapy Room" by Sam Baron plunges readers into the world of FBI agent Susan Parker, marking the inception of an exciting new series. The book proves to be an entertaining read.
Baron introduces a diverse cast of characters, spanning various cultures and backgrounds, including Indian, British, and Latinx individuals. However, their portrayal veers towards stereotypes, resulting in awkward interactions. Similarly, the inclusion of characters from different walks of life—deaf, gay, or with disabilities—can feel somewhat contrived, lacking seamless integration into the narrative.
Despite the story being largely a police procedural, "The Therapy Room" at times diverges from accepted protocols, leading to moments of confusion. This departure from established procedures can detract from the story's immersion, particularly when characters act in ways seemingly inconsistent with their principles.
Furthermore, I struggled with characters repeatedly failing to grasp essential information. Explanations were often presented but not understood. This oversight may frustrate readers expecting a more intuitive unraveling of the plot's mysteries.
Nonetheless, "The Therapy Room" remains a captivating read, offering glimpses of Baron's potential for gripping storytelling and character development. With its solid groundwork and tantalizing hints of what lies ahead, this debut novel holds promise for an engaging series, anchored by the enigmatic Susan Parker.
Lauryn Allman, the narrator for the audio version, brought the characters to life with her fantastic voice work. I especially enjoyed how she changed her tone for different characters, making it easy to follow along and engaging throughout. Her clear reading and character representations made the experience enjoyable from start to finish.
Recommendation
Despite occasional deviations from standard police procedural tropes and some stereotypical character portrayals, “The Therapy Room” has a suspenseful plot and promises a compelling series to follow.
Rating
3 Therapy Stars
Book Information
The Therapy Room by Sam Baron is a 310-page mystery with a publication date of February 23, 2024. The audio version, Narrated by Lauryn Allman, spans 11 hours and 27 minutes. Thank you to Dreamscape Select for providing me with an Advance Readers Copy for review.
Summary
After the suspicious death of psychiatrist Dr. Magnusson in a Californian ranch house, FBI agent Susan Parker, grappling with her husband's recent suicide, finds herself drawn into the case when her name appears on a note at the crime scene. Convinced Magnusson was the notorious serial killer 'Splinter,' Susan embarks on a perilous investigation, uncovering dark secrets linking the case to her husband's demise. With her family's safety at risk and her career on the line, Susan races against time to stop the killer and unearth the truth before it's too late.
My Thoughts
"The Therapy Room" by Sam Baron plunges readers into the world of FBI agent Susan Parker, marking the inception of an exciting new series. The book proves to be an entertaining read.
Baron introduces a diverse cast of characters, spanning various cultures and backgrounds, including Indian, British, and Latinx individuals. However, their portrayal veers towards stereotypes, resulting in awkward interactions. Similarly, the inclusion of characters from different walks of life—deaf, gay, or with disabilities—can feel somewhat contrived, lacking seamless integration into the narrative.
Despite the story being largely a police procedural, "The Therapy Room" at times diverges from accepted protocols, leading to moments of confusion. This departure from established procedures can detract from the story's immersion, particularly when characters act in ways seemingly inconsistent with their principles.
Furthermore, I struggled with characters repeatedly failing to grasp essential information. Explanations were often presented but not understood. This oversight may frustrate readers expecting a more intuitive unraveling of the plot's mysteries.
Nonetheless, "The Therapy Room" remains a captivating read, offering glimpses of Baron's potential for gripping storytelling and character development. With its solid groundwork and tantalizing hints of what lies ahead, this debut novel holds promise for an engaging series, anchored by the enigmatic Susan Parker.
Lauryn Allman, the narrator for the audio version, brought the characters to life with her fantastic voice work. I especially enjoyed how she changed her tone for different characters, making it easy to follow along and engaging throughout. Her clear reading and character representations made the experience enjoyable from start to finish.
Recommendation
Despite occasional deviations from standard police procedural tropes and some stereotypical character portrayals, “The Therapy Room” has a suspenseful plot and promises a compelling series to follow.
Rating
3 Therapy Stars
February 20, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select, Storm Publishing for the ARC. It hasn't affected the contents of my review.
I feel like maybe I shouldn't even write this review because everything I can think to say about is sort of mean. Or is just mean full stop. My main reaction to this book is that it had a fantastic premise but the execution was entirely lacking. This book reads like what I imagine a crime book about serial killers would be like if it was filmed and aired on the Hallmark channel: terrible, naïve and cheesy dialogue from characters who don't feel like real people, shoddy research, barely any attention to detail, scenes playing out in what I imagine is a bid for tension, but which just end up frustrating the reader because the characters are being incredibly stupid. The book also unfortunately feels like an older man writing about things he doesn't have experience with and trying to be relevant. But again, no attention to detail, and the perspective on it all feels weird. (The MC's deaf daughter, MC's Indian family-in-law, racist microaggressions at work, anything to do with social media, the MC's autism and ADHD (which is in no way relevant to the story let alone actually apparent in the MC's behavior) etc.)
Emblematic of this whole book and its approach to writing is the fact that not once but twice, the author wrote about the MC doing things so that her deaf daughter wouldn't hear and be disturbed . . . let that one sink in.
I don't recommend this. It wasn't even bad in a fun way. It just felt like a waste of my time. I ended up putting the speed on my audiobook as high as I could stand it just so I could finish.
I feel like maybe I shouldn't even write this review because everything I can think to say about is sort of mean. Or is just mean full stop. My main reaction to this book is that it had a fantastic premise but the execution was entirely lacking. This book reads like what I imagine a crime book about serial killers would be like if it was filmed and aired on the Hallmark channel: terrible, naïve and cheesy dialogue from characters who don't feel like real people, shoddy research, barely any attention to detail, scenes playing out in what I imagine is a bid for tension, but which just end up frustrating the reader because the characters are being incredibly stupid. The book also unfortunately feels like an older man writing about things he doesn't have experience with and trying to be relevant. But again, no attention to detail, and the perspective on it all feels weird. (The MC's deaf daughter, MC's Indian family-in-law, racist microaggressions at work, anything to do with social media, the MC's autism and ADHD (which is in no way relevant to the story let alone actually apparent in the MC's behavior) etc.)
Emblematic of this whole book and its approach to writing is the fact that not once but twice, the author wrote about the MC doing things so that her deaf daughter wouldn't hear and be disturbed . . . let that one sink in.
I don't recommend this. It wasn't even bad in a fun way. It just felt like a waste of my time. I ended up putting the speed on my audiobook as high as I could stand it just so I could finish.
April 5, 2024
3.5 stars
The Therapy Room by Sam Baron is the first in the FBI Agent Susan Parker series.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Storm Publishing and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Series Information:
FBI Agent Susan Parker has been with the bureau over 10 years. Her team consists of Special agents Ramon Diaz, Kayla Regis, and David Moskovitch, with Trainee agent Brine Thomas. Their boss is Deputy Director Connor Gentry. They work with Chief Evidence Investigator Marisol Mancini. Susan is a single mother to 7 year-old Natalie, and they are living with her sister-in-law Lata, who stepped up after Susan's husband died.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Susan has been on leave for most of the last year. Her husband Amit had committed suicide, and Susan went a little crazy and attacked a psychiatrist, who she thought was a serial killer called Splinter. Dr. Keller is still on her radar. The serial killer, who targeted psychiatrists and their families, is still at large.
When the body of Dr. Magnusson, a psychiatrist, is found in the farmhouse he was renting, with twelve therapy rooms below him, it looked like he may have been the serial killer. Eleven of those rooms were still occupied, and all the residents are rescued and taken to the hospital. There was a post-it-note on the door with Susan's name and phone number.
But Susan is not convinced that Splinter is dead. This is a different situation. Detective Naved Seth from the local police will become her partner in this investigation.
My Opinions:
For a debut novel, and the start of a series, I was impressed.
I was quickly captivated by the characters and the plot. I didn't think that Susan always made the right decisions, but her heart is in the right place. I also like her team, and hope that includes Naved.
I think my only problem with the characters may be that the author tried to combine too many diversities. Talk about all-inclusive. We have a single Indian mother raising a deaf daughter with the help of her ex-marine gay sister-in-law, a mother-in-law from hell, as well as a boss who seems to hate everyone. Susan, of course, is obsessed with her job, and trying to find out the truth about her husband's death, while dealing with everything else. If it hadn't worked so well, It might be a little much.
As well, it was somewhat repetitious and the dialogue a little strange occasionally, but neither of these things were a detriment to me enjoying the book. I always give a new author the benefit of the doubt, and hope to see improvements as we go along.
It was a fairly fast and easy read, and although the culprit was obvious, there were definitely a few twists.
Anyway, I will be looking forward to the next one.
For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, as well as author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
February 2, 2024
I requested a copy of the ARC from the publisher, Storm Publishing, on NetGalley and was approved in exchange for consideration of a review. All opinions discussed are my own and are subjective to myself as a reader.
I can tell you why I requested this one on NetGalley in two words: SERIAL KILLER.
This is my first experience reading anything written by Sam Baron and after staying up WAY past my bedtime to finish this one, it certainly won't be the last. I mean, Baron made it practically impossible for me to not to continue reading future Susan Parker books. (If you've read it - you know why!!)
I read this book in three sittings. The high profile case of the notorious serial killer Splinter, the fast paced writing style and the enigma that was Susan Parker's obsession with the last woman to see her husband alive before his suicide just wouldn't let me out of this book's clutches for long.
There were a few plot conveniences and glossing over of details of the case that puzzled me - Sam Baron did such a great job detailing Susan's continued mental anguish of the loss of her husband and how present she tried to be - and was - for her hearing impaired daughter, Natalie. (Natalie and Susan's father-in-law Kundan were just the most precious characters!!) I found it odd that the author chose to do a few little time hops of several days/weeks and recap later in a conversation between a couple of the characters. The information I felt was important and would have been fun to read in "real-time" with the characters.
I'm very proud of myself because I totally solved the case! Well, okay, maybe not exactly...and not completely - but I definitely suspected the right one! I had a lot of fun trying to solve the case before Susan and her team, but ultimately, Susan did the heavy lifting. I even learned a few new things to add to my crime junkie treasure chest of things to spout off to my husband the next time I make him watch a serial killer documentary.
All rambling aside, I had a great time reading this book and will absolutely keep an eye out for the next case Susan Parker gets assigned. If there had been any way for me to continue on last night after finishing this one, I would have. The author ought to be just plum ashamed of leaving off like that! lol
You can find this review along with other reviews spanning multiple genres at The Nerdy Narrative or if you prefer video format, I do have a BookTube Channel
A heartfelt thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for their support towards my enthusiasm for reading and reviewing!
Special thanks to my highest level Patrons: Ev, Sharon, Andrew, Star, Kate, Gail, Amanda F., Lourdes, Tara, John, Ann, Chad K., Ashley E., & Jennifer M.
I can tell you why I requested this one on NetGalley in two words: SERIAL KILLER.
This is my first experience reading anything written by Sam Baron and after staying up WAY past my bedtime to finish this one, it certainly won't be the last. I mean, Baron made it practically impossible for me to not to continue reading future Susan Parker books. (If you've read it - you know why!!)
I read this book in three sittings. The high profile case of the notorious serial killer Splinter, the fast paced writing style and the enigma that was Susan Parker's obsession with the last woman to see her husband alive before his suicide just wouldn't let me out of this book's clutches for long.
There were a few plot conveniences and glossing over of details of the case that puzzled me - Sam Baron did such a great job detailing Susan's continued mental anguish of the loss of her husband and how present she tried to be - and was - for her hearing impaired daughter, Natalie. (Natalie and Susan's father-in-law Kundan were just the most precious characters!!) I found it odd that the author chose to do a few little time hops of several days/weeks and recap later in a conversation between a couple of the characters. The information I felt was important and would have been fun to read in "real-time" with the characters.
I'm very proud of myself because I totally solved the case! Well, okay, maybe not exactly...and not completely - but I definitely suspected the right one! I had a lot of fun trying to solve the case before Susan and her team, but ultimately, Susan did the heavy lifting. I even learned a few new things to add to my crime junkie treasure chest of things to spout off to my husband the next time I make him watch a serial killer documentary.
All rambling aside, I had a great time reading this book and will absolutely keep an eye out for the next case Susan Parker gets assigned. If there had been any way for me to continue on last night after finishing this one, I would have. The author ought to be just plum ashamed of leaving off like that! lol
You can find this review along with other reviews spanning multiple genres at The Nerdy Narrative or if you prefer video format, I do have a BookTube Channel
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Special thanks to my highest level Patrons: Ev, Sharon, Andrew, Star, Kate, Gail, Amanda F., Lourdes, Tara, John, Ann, Chad K., Ashley E., & Jennifer M.
February 16, 2024
This book is a prime example of when a good premise falls absolutely flat on its face during the delivery.
First, this book is screaming white man writing POCs and I'm so not here for it. I can’t say for sure whether Baron has Indian roots - can’t even guess since the Goodreads author profile doesn’t have a pic - but we get a lot of negative stereotypes about Indian people and as an Indian American, I’m SO not here for this. There’s zero nuance here. Mean, condescending mother-in-law? Check. Rich, snobby family? Check. Ableism/looking down on “others”? Check. Creepy uncle with shady business dealings? Check. Troubled sister-in-law? Check. The way the Indian family was presented alone was enough to make me dislike this book and never want to read this author again.
Second, despite being told in first person by our MC Special Agent In Charge Susan Parker, I did not feel like we got to know her very well. She makes a lot of rookie mistakes that made me wonder whether the author did any research at all into what her rank means? She says her daughter is her number one priority when she's put her in a lot of danger for no good reason a few chapters earlier.
Third, the story ended up being so inconsistent and boring. The timeline jumps around all over the place. It ended on a cliffhanger that was probably supposed to make us pick up book two but just made me dislike this book even more. It felt like the final scene for a TV show series.
Fourth, I wonder if this author is maybe British because we get a lot of things that make sense in Britain but not in the US (ex. Boxing Day, using Celsius not Fahrenheit, etc). I don't know why the book wasn't simply set in Britain somewhere where the author may have had a better sense of the policing/agentry ranks as well.
Fifth, what is this weird way of speaking? Which decade are we in? Who is still typing "Gr8" in text messages when we have smartphones? The constant complaining about Gen Zers was annoying (and I say that as a millennial). Who uses the word "slash" as in ("this slash that") in real life? Is this a thing? Plus we get lots of patronizing acronym definitions and info dumps.
All around, this was a huge no thank you from me. I won't be picking up any more books in this series or by this author.
A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
First, this book is screaming white man writing POCs and I'm so not here for it. I can’t say for sure whether Baron has Indian roots - can’t even guess since the Goodreads author profile doesn’t have a pic - but we get a lot of negative stereotypes about Indian people and as an Indian American, I’m SO not here for this. There’s zero nuance here. Mean, condescending mother-in-law? Check. Rich, snobby family? Check. Ableism/looking down on “others”? Check. Creepy uncle with shady business dealings? Check. Troubled sister-in-law? Check. The way the Indian family was presented alone was enough to make me dislike this book and never want to read this author again.
Second, despite being told in first person by our MC Special Agent In Charge Susan Parker, I did not feel like we got to know her very well. She makes a lot of rookie mistakes that made me wonder whether the author did any research at all into what her rank means? She says her daughter is her number one priority when she's put her in a lot of danger for no good reason a few chapters earlier.
Third, the story ended up being so inconsistent and boring. The timeline jumps around all over the place. It ended on a cliffhanger that was probably supposed to make us pick up book two but just made me dislike this book even more. It felt like the final scene for a TV show series.
Fourth, I wonder if this author is maybe British because we get a lot of things that make sense in Britain but not in the US (ex. Boxing Day, using Celsius not Fahrenheit, etc). I don't know why the book wasn't simply set in Britain somewhere where the author may have had a better sense of the policing/agentry ranks as well.
Fifth, what is this weird way of speaking? Which decade are we in? Who is still typing "Gr8" in text messages when we have smartphones? The constant complaining about Gen Zers was annoying (and I say that as a millennial). Who uses the word "slash" as in ("this slash that") in real life? Is this a thing? Plus we get lots of patronizing acronym definitions and info dumps.
All around, this was a huge no thank you from me. I won't be picking up any more books in this series or by this author.
A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
February 9, 2024
Finished reading: February 9th 2024
DNF at 49% (152 pages)
"They were telling us why we can't question the victims slash suspects slash patients."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Storm Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
January 2, 2024
To be honest, detective/agent books are hit or miss for me. That said some of my favorite books fall in this category, so there’s always hope! This didn’t hit the mark for me. The description pulled me in and I really did enjoy the plot and storyline (great mystery and suspense), but I struggled with connecting with the main characters.
The book is told through 1st person POV of Special Agent In Charge Susan Parker. I think it may have been better as 3rd person. Overall, I liked the narrative parts, but strongly disliked most of the dialogue throughout the book. The agent conversations seemed naive and unrealistic. It was hard for me to picture actual agents holding the conversations these characters did. Saying very obvious things, defining basic FBI lingo within conversations with each other, and trying too hard off as buddies instead of professionals. Ultimately I failed to trick myself into believing Susan Parker was an intelligent, competent, resourceful FBI agent.
Other specifics that were distracting:
-Multiple times complaining about GenZers, but the dialogue of the main adult characters were cringeworthy and sounded much younger than their characters.
-Text abbreviations, are they texting on flip phones?? “Where r u?” “Gr8…”
-Using Celsius instead of Fahrenheit in California.
-Referring to Boxing Day (not celebrated in US).
-repetitively stating “victims SLASH patients SLASH unsubs”. In the narration and every time they were discussed in conversation. Once or twice would be fine, but every single time?!
-referring to “Jeep Explorer” and “Ford Ram” (neither of these vehicles exist).
-Sudden jump to almost a month later. It felt abrupt and cut an exciting part short.
-Susan states: “Putting my life at risk is part of my job. Risking Natalie’s is unthinkable.” This comes a month after literally taking her 7 year old daughter/Natalie to a shootout where 5 people were shot dead.
This had really good potential. I think with more attention to detail and more realistic character development this would have earned 4 stars from me.
Thank you to NetGalley, Sam Baron, and Storm Publishing for providing this ARC.
Pub Date 23 Feb 2024
The book is told through 1st person POV of Special Agent In Charge Susan Parker. I think it may have been better as 3rd person. Overall, I liked the narrative parts, but strongly disliked most of the dialogue throughout the book. The agent conversations seemed naive and unrealistic. It was hard for me to picture actual agents holding the conversations these characters did. Saying very obvious things, defining basic FBI lingo within conversations with each other, and trying too hard off as buddies instead of professionals. Ultimately I failed to trick myself into believing Susan Parker was an intelligent, competent, resourceful FBI agent.
Other specifics that were distracting:
-Multiple times complaining about GenZers, but the dialogue of the main adult characters were cringeworthy and sounded much younger than their characters.
-Text abbreviations, are they texting on flip phones?? “Where r u?” “Gr8…”
-Using Celsius instead of Fahrenheit in California.
-Referring to Boxing Day (not celebrated in US).
-repetitively stating “victims SLASH patients SLASH unsubs”. In the narration and every time they were discussed in conversation. Once or twice would be fine, but every single time?!
-referring to “Jeep Explorer” and “Ford Ram” (neither of these vehicles exist).
-Sudden jump to almost a month later. It felt abrupt and cut an exciting part short.
-Susan states: “Putting my life at risk is part of my job. Risking Natalie’s is unthinkable.” This comes a month after literally taking her 7 year old daughter/Natalie to a shootout where 5 people were shot dead.
This had really good potential. I think with more attention to detail and more realistic character development this would have earned 4 stars from me.
Thank you to NetGalley, Sam Baron, and Storm Publishing for providing this ARC.
Pub Date 23 Feb 2024
February 18, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up.
As an aspiring therapist and lover of thriller and mystery, I was so excited to receive this ARC copy and am thankful to both the publisher and NetGalley.
That said, I was hoping this would be amazing, mind bending, thrilling, etc. it was still really good though! Especially when it gets to the end. Before that it was more like a typically detective mystery novel.
I did love Susan Parker and her strength and wit. This book did hold my interest as well throughout, I just felt it had so much more potential of being epic.
As an aspiring therapist and lover of thriller and mystery, I was so excited to receive this ARC copy and am thankful to both the publisher and NetGalley.
That said, I was hoping this would be amazing, mind bending, thrilling, etc. it was still really good though! Especially when it gets to the end. Before that it was more like a typically detective mystery novel.
I did love Susan Parker and her strength and wit. This book did hold my interest as well throughout, I just felt it had so much more potential of being epic.
February 17, 2024
If Good reads had a better rating system this would be a 2.5 but instead I have to round down as I can’t in good conscience round up to a 3.
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for me honest review.
The short blurb on the books reads as follows: It’s a typical farm kitchen. A large table fills the space, and in one of the chairs is the lifeless body of Doctor Magnusson. Under his feet and the dusty wooden floorboards lie the basement – and twelve therapy rooms. Behind each locked door, the victims are about to be rescued…
It’s an absolutely grabbing description and I could not wait to consume this book. When I got approved I set aside other audio books that I was in the middle of so I could read this. On the whole the premise and base plot is excellent! It had so much promise but unfortunately there were too many issues to make the book enjoyable.
That being said, the last 2 chapters were the most cogent and exciting of them all.
Despite this title being released nearly a year ago as an ARC with plenty of reviews, I chose not to read other reviews of it as I don’t want to be impacted by others before I read it. Yet had I done so I would not have been so stunned at the experience. Being a first book in a planned series by this author this title is a perfect candidate for a rewrite before sequels are published as the story itself is that good. It’s the writing that’s the problem. I am also wondering where the 5 star reviews come from. It’s troubling…. I am going to list the issues as it’s easiest.
1) The narration is done in first person by the protagonist Special Agent in Charge Susan Parker a disgraced and suspended FBI agent who gets reinstated to solve the case but gets personally embroiled. The viewpoint is fine when she is doing basic narration but when dialogue with others, especially other FBI agents, the story became completely unbelievable.
The language she used with her colleagues sounded like it was from a bad D crime movie. It is clear that the author has never spoken with an actual FBI agent in their research. He makes fun of younger generations yet the voice sounds like a young adult is writing.
2) the sub plots about Susan’s family, most have no belonging in the story. There are scenes that seem to come out of nowhere that are disjointed and never get wrapped up.
3) Randomly the narrator discloses that she is autistic and diagnosed with ADHD. A bunch of buzz words and concepts are peppered randomly throughout the story that seem to be there because the author is trying to sound current and inclusive except misses the mark because most of it has zero bearing on the story. It comes off that characters challenges, such as Susan’s deaf daughter are there not for engaging reading and inclusivity but just to reach a particular market. This was the biggest challenge for me personally to get through as it made me angry which made me disconnect even more from the characters.
4) when Susan finally gets confronted with the killer you get a 40 minute chapter (other chapters are under 10 minutes at times) that is so unrealistic for the antagonist to have that amount of time with an FBI agent in the situation they were in. I don’t want to give spoilers so I’ll leave it at that.
5) while the book should be crime suspense since the killer is still on the loose.. there is. Nothing suspenseful. Things just happen with no build up as random sub plots pop up.
6) I actually looked up the author (which there isn’t much about him) to see where they resided since he makes a big deal about “Boxing Day” when the book takes place in California. The author resides there as well so it seems even more random. Also while I personally wish the US would get with the rest of the world and use the metric system, we don’t. So talking about Celsius in California just adds to the bizarre word choices. But then again I should have known better when on the cover of the book it says “a totally unputdownable crime thriller.”
7) Lastly, I realized what irks me the most as I was recollecting my thoughts on it. Pandering. That’s what it sounds like. It comes off the the author has all these random facts that he wants to show he is educated on so he throws them into the story. And while the facts themselves are great, they are not thrown in in a way that moves the story along. For example, he speaks about Chai and how an incident Susan was having with a therapist was “culturally gaslighting” her. For starters the comment was inappropriate and a jerk move but it wasn’t gaslighting. Secondly, the scenario seems to only be included so the author could knowledge dump that “chai” literally means “tea.” There is no reason for that interaction to take place other than trying to sound “current” except not only does it miss the mark, it also shows the failure to understand what gaslighting is. This is just one of several situations like this.
Also more importantly it is the epitome of a white man trying to write about characters that he has no inner knowledge of. The stereotypes he uses are frustrating. While I get that the author was trying to be inclusive it comes off that he was doing it to get readers rather than something he values. It’s racist, ableist, and sexist all wrapped into one.
All that being said while I won’t recommend this book to others I would love the author to take another stab at it as he has a fabulous premise that could be so engaging for a psychological thriller.
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for me honest review.
The short blurb on the books reads as follows: It’s a typical farm kitchen. A large table fills the space, and in one of the chairs is the lifeless body of Doctor Magnusson. Under his feet and the dusty wooden floorboards lie the basement – and twelve therapy rooms. Behind each locked door, the victims are about to be rescued…
It’s an absolutely grabbing description and I could not wait to consume this book. When I got approved I set aside other audio books that I was in the middle of so I could read this. On the whole the premise and base plot is excellent! It had so much promise but unfortunately there were too many issues to make the book enjoyable.
That being said, the last 2 chapters were the most cogent and exciting of them all.
Despite this title being released nearly a year ago as an ARC with plenty of reviews, I chose not to read other reviews of it as I don’t want to be impacted by others before I read it. Yet had I done so I would not have been so stunned at the experience. Being a first book in a planned series by this author this title is a perfect candidate for a rewrite before sequels are published as the story itself is that good. It’s the writing that’s the problem. I am also wondering where the 5 star reviews come from. It’s troubling…. I am going to list the issues as it’s easiest.
1) The narration is done in first person by the protagonist Special Agent in Charge Susan Parker a disgraced and suspended FBI agent who gets reinstated to solve the case but gets personally embroiled. The viewpoint is fine when she is doing basic narration but when dialogue with others, especially other FBI agents, the story became completely unbelievable.
The language she used with her colleagues sounded like it was from a bad D crime movie. It is clear that the author has never spoken with an actual FBI agent in their research. He makes fun of younger generations yet the voice sounds like a young adult is writing.
2) the sub plots about Susan’s family, most have no belonging in the story. There are scenes that seem to come out of nowhere that are disjointed and never get wrapped up.
3) Randomly the narrator discloses that she is autistic and diagnosed with ADHD. A bunch of buzz words and concepts are peppered randomly throughout the story that seem to be there because the author is trying to sound current and inclusive except misses the mark because most of it has zero bearing on the story. It comes off that characters challenges, such as Susan’s deaf daughter are there not for engaging reading and inclusivity but just to reach a particular market. This was the biggest challenge for me personally to get through as it made me angry which made me disconnect even more from the characters.
4) when Susan finally gets confronted with the killer you get a 40 minute chapter (other chapters are under 10 minutes at times) that is so unrealistic for the antagonist to have that amount of time with an FBI agent in the situation they were in. I don’t want to give spoilers so I’ll leave it at that.
5) while the book should be crime suspense since the killer is still on the loose.. there is. Nothing suspenseful. Things just happen with no build up as random sub plots pop up.
6) I actually looked up the author (which there isn’t much about him) to see where they resided since he makes a big deal about “Boxing Day” when the book takes place in California. The author resides there as well so it seems even more random. Also while I personally wish the US would get with the rest of the world and use the metric system, we don’t. So talking about Celsius in California just adds to the bizarre word choices. But then again I should have known better when on the cover of the book it says “a totally unputdownable crime thriller.”
7) Lastly, I realized what irks me the most as I was recollecting my thoughts on it. Pandering. That’s what it sounds like. It comes off the the author has all these random facts that he wants to show he is educated on so he throws them into the story. And while the facts themselves are great, they are not thrown in in a way that moves the story along. For example, he speaks about Chai and how an incident Susan was having with a therapist was “culturally gaslighting” her. For starters the comment was inappropriate and a jerk move but it wasn’t gaslighting. Secondly, the scenario seems to only be included so the author could knowledge dump that “chai” literally means “tea.” There is no reason for that interaction to take place other than trying to sound “current” except not only does it miss the mark, it also shows the failure to understand what gaslighting is. This is just one of several situations like this.
Also more importantly it is the epitome of a white man trying to write about characters that he has no inner knowledge of. The stereotypes he uses are frustrating. While I get that the author was trying to be inclusive it comes off that he was doing it to get readers rather than something he values. It’s racist, ableist, and sexist all wrapped into one.
All that being said while I won’t recommend this book to others I would love the author to take another stab at it as he has a fabulous premise that could be so engaging for a psychological thriller.
February 25, 2024
"The Therapy Room” by Sam Baron was a 3-star read. FBI Agent Susan Parker was sitting down to dinner with her daughter on mental health leave a year after the death of her husband Amit when she receives a phone call that starts off with “I think I’ve found Splinter”. Splinter is one of the most high-profile serial killers in criminal history. When she arrives at the Dirty Trick’s Ranch, she meets Seth, a detective from the Santa Carina Valley Sheriff’s Department, who shows her the basement, which is made up of cells, each holding a half-starved, terrified, and abused prisoner. That’s just the beginning for Susan and her new “parder” partner Seth as they try to get to the bottom of the case.
I really was looking forward to reading this book. The description sounded intriguing, and honestly, the idea for this story is a 10/10. However, the writing and delivery of the story are not. The dialogue between Susan and her team is unbelievable, and I hope that is not how the FBI talks to each other. The author mismatches the make and model of vehicles, refers to Soldiers/Marines as American GIs, and puts a negative spin on the police force in general, just to name a few of the things that kept me from enjoying this book.
Thanks to Storm Publishing, Sam Baron, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.
I really was looking forward to reading this book. The description sounded intriguing, and honestly, the idea for this story is a 10/10. However, the writing and delivery of the story are not. The dialogue between Susan and her team is unbelievable, and I hope that is not how the FBI talks to each other. The author mismatches the make and model of vehicles, refers to Soldiers/Marines as American GIs, and puts a negative spin on the police force in general, just to name a few of the things that kept me from enjoying this book.
Thanks to Storm Publishing, Sam Baron, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.
November 30, 2023
FBI agent Susan Parker has been placed on extended leave due to an incident whilst she was in charge of the Splinter serial killer case. Amit, Susan’s husband, allegedly took his own life in the home of one of the Splinter victims, and this, along with the stress of the case, tipped the FBI agent over the edge. When the Splinter resurfaces, Susan is once again given the job of finding the person behind the killer.
This is the first in a new series with Agent Parker. By the time the second book is ready I hope that a beta reader is used. In this book there are too many inconsistencies to be acceptable, and how times can “slash” be used before someone notices? When talking about Gennifer Mason to DC Hallett of the Gloucestershire Constabulary he speaks likes someone out of the 50’s - “in her cups”, “have their tickets punched”, “mental asylum”, “our Genny”, a proper PC Plod character!
I liked most of the characters, though Susan is dull and inconsistent, she didn’t grab my attention enough to be a main character. A bit of professional background about Amit would have been useful. To be such a pivotal role, all we know is that his mother is awful and his dad is a sweetie!
The last chapter is written so that the reader wants more, a cliffhanger. This makes the book seem unfinished.
The errors spoil what is essentially a really good story, just poorly put together.
Thank you NetGalley and Storm.
This is the first in a new series with Agent Parker. By the time the second book is ready I hope that a beta reader is used. In this book there are too many inconsistencies to be acceptable, and how times can “slash” be used before someone notices? When talking about Gennifer Mason to DC Hallett of the Gloucestershire Constabulary he speaks likes someone out of the 50’s - “in her cups”, “have their tickets punched”, “mental asylum”, “our Genny”, a proper PC Plod character!
I liked most of the characters, though Susan is dull and inconsistent, she didn’t grab my attention enough to be a main character. A bit of professional background about Amit would have been useful. To be such a pivotal role, all we know is that his mother is awful and his dad is a sweetie!
The last chapter is written so that the reader wants more, a cliffhanger. This makes the book seem unfinished.
The errors spoil what is essentially a really good story, just poorly put together.
Thank you NetGalley and Storm.
November 19, 2024
This well written story is complex and at times disturbing. There is a deranged serial killer who wipes out the families of therapists. It appears that the serial killer is stabbed to death by one of the patients he has locked in a basement. But, of course, there is more to this story, and Susan is the right person to solve it.
February 7, 2024
FBI agent Susan Parker has been on suspension for a year since a fallout with a therapist whilst investigating the Splinter case. But one evening she gets a call from a detective, her name was on a post it note, telling whoever arrived first on scene to call her. Reluctantly her boss calls her back onto the case and the pace really ramps up as Susan and her team work to resolve the splinter case.
This novel was a pretty solid start to what appears to be a series of books, I liked the characters, especially sweet Natalie, the book ends on a cliffhanger so you're left wanting more.
Thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for this advanced copy with no obligation to leave my review
This novel was a pretty solid start to what appears to be a series of books, I liked the characters, especially sweet Natalie, the book ends on a cliffhanger so you're left wanting more.
Thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for this advanced copy with no obligation to leave my review
February 23, 2024
I enjoyed this psychological thriller featuring FBI Agent Susan Parker and the serial killer known as Splinter.
This story takes place in southern California near L.A. Parker, who has been suspended from the FBI for almost a year, gets called into the case she was working on prior to being suspended. A suspect is killed and eleven survivors are found in an old farmhouse basement near where Parker lives.
There are some inconsistencies in the story and some clumsy dialogue but even so I liked this first book in a new series by author Baron. I liked the inclusion of a deaf character since I am substantially deaf myself. I liked that the characters were diverse. The serial killer storyline in this case was original.
There WAS a cliffhanger ending so I do hope the second book in the series will be out sooner rather than later.
I received this book from Storm Publishing through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review. This is that review.
This story takes place in southern California near L.A. Parker, who has been suspended from the FBI for almost a year, gets called into the case she was working on prior to being suspended. A suspect is killed and eleven survivors are found in an old farmhouse basement near where Parker lives.
There are some inconsistencies in the story and some clumsy dialogue but even so I liked this first book in a new series by author Baron. I liked the inclusion of a deaf character since I am substantially deaf myself. I liked that the characters were diverse. The serial killer storyline in this case was original.
There WAS a cliffhanger ending so I do hope the second book in the series will be out sooner rather than later.
I received this book from Storm Publishing through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review. This is that review.
March 16, 2024
The Therapy Room was an addictive thriller that kept me intrigued. Although the execution lacked and felt a little clumsy. It was still entertaining and kept me interested til the end. I did want more of the creepy aspect or the farmhouse and the 12 torture chambers, that's what I was here for.
The dialogues between the FBI agents felt off, it didn't feel true to how agents would speak to each other. It was highly unrealistic and I think that's what ruined the book a little for me. I also felt the characters were highly underdeveloped which unfortunately does not give me the push to continue this series.
The suspense and mystery was fun, but also fell flat for me. It didn't deliver what I wanted but it still entertained me. I think it had a high potential and I'm curious to see what the author comes up with next.
🎧 The narration by Lauryn Allman was good, it kept me invested in the story. It wasn't my favorite either, some emotions were missing but I was still able to push through.
✨️ Thank you to @netgalley & @dreamscape for my free ALC in exchange for an honest review.
The dialogues between the FBI agents felt off, it didn't feel true to how agents would speak to each other. It was highly unrealistic and I think that's what ruined the book a little for me. I also felt the characters were highly underdeveloped which unfortunately does not give me the push to continue this series.
The suspense and mystery was fun, but also fell flat for me. It didn't deliver what I wanted but it still entertained me. I think it had a high potential and I'm curious to see what the author comes up with next.
🎧 The narration by Lauryn Allman was good, it kept me invested in the story. It wasn't my favorite either, some emotions were missing but I was still able to push through.
✨️ Thank you to @netgalley & @dreamscape for my free ALC in exchange for an honest review.
August 2, 2024
Wow! Surprisingly, I found myself drawn to this ARC. SAC Susan Parker's journey in unraveling the mystery she was handling was truly captivating. Additionally, I appreciated the inclusion of a character who uses sign language, and what set it apart was that this character emerged stronger, defying the typical narrative where someone using sign language faces constant bullying. It was refreshing that everyone embraced this character instead.
Furthermore, as a Muslim, I appreciate that, for once, an author didn't make a Muslim character "the bad guy." I noticed Naved using "Inshallah," and although widely accepted, it would have been better if spelled as "Inshaa Allah" since the two variations carry different meanings.
I'd like to mention a specific phrase in the book that seems a bit confusing and might be challenging for someone without a background in the medical field to grasp. As a Medical Laboratory Scientist, it strikes me that the author may not have thoroughly researched mobile laboratory details. When Susan mentioned, "She makes us look through microscopes and shows us screens filled with data, as she walks us through her process," the information felt somewhat vague. A clearer expression could be, "Looking through the microscope's eyepiece reveals slides filled with specimens”, especially when dealing with DNA and similar elements."
In general, I adore almost all the characters, and there's this strange but exciting feeling making me ship Naved and Susan together. However, I must admit feeling a bit let down by the cliffhanger at the end. I was eagerly anticipating a major plot twist, especially regarding Amit's case, but unfortunately, it didn't unfold as I hoped. Fingers crossed for some revelations in the sequel, considering this book is part of a series. Despite that, I gave it a solid 5-star rating because SAC Susan Parker's story truly captivated me. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys thrillers and mysteries.
I want to express my gratitude to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for allowing me the opportunity to read this amazing ARC. Thank you so much!
Furthermore, as a Muslim, I appreciate that, for once, an author didn't make a Muslim character "the bad guy." I noticed Naved using "Inshallah," and although widely accepted, it would have been better if spelled as "Inshaa Allah" since the two variations carry different meanings.
I'd like to mention a specific phrase in the book that seems a bit confusing and might be challenging for someone without a background in the medical field to grasp. As a Medical Laboratory Scientist, it strikes me that the author may not have thoroughly researched mobile laboratory details. When Susan mentioned, "She makes us look through microscopes and shows us screens filled with data, as she walks us through her process," the information felt somewhat vague. A clearer expression could be, "Looking through the microscope's eyepiece reveals slides filled with specimens”, especially when dealing with DNA and similar elements."
In general, I adore almost all the characters, and there's this strange but exciting feeling making me ship Naved and Susan together. However, I must admit feeling a bit let down by the cliffhanger at the end. I was eagerly anticipating a major plot twist, especially regarding Amit's case, but unfortunately, it didn't unfold as I hoped. Fingers crossed for some revelations in the sequel, considering this book is part of a series. Despite that, I gave it a solid 5-star rating because SAC Susan Parker's story truly captivated me. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys thrillers and mysteries.
I want to express my gratitude to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for allowing me the opportunity to read this amazing ARC. Thank you so much!
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December 17, 2023The Therapy Room by Sam Baron
Publication Date- February 23rd
Publisher- Storm Publishing
Overall Rating- 1 out of 5 stars
A special thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for an early review copy in exchange for an honest review.
What Worked: Okay, some things that worked. Even though I am a therapist myself, and have a hard time with books misrepresenting therapy, I felt that this premise was a good idea. The setup for a thriller was there. I think the author has potential after some of the things below are addressed. It's a quick read and bingeable. There is a diverse cast of characters though I think there should be more research and consideration on the diversity front.
What didn’t work: I actually DNF’d this book at 70 percent in. At 58 percent there is this quote, “Ever notice that if you leave just two spaces in the word ‘psychotherapist’, you get ‘ psycho the rapist.” No, just no. If there is time I would suggest reconsidering leaving this in before it makes it fully out on release day. I will own that I hold the identity of a therapist and that is blinding my view of this quote but as a whole I just find it really offensive and not necessary.
The plot is good, I really liked the concept of the book. However, there are a lot of inconsistencies that are easy to pick up on. I know when I read a thriller there will be inconsistencies, I really struggled to get past them in The Therapy Room. Something that could have made this book more enjoyable would be for the transcripts and old files to have been thrown in either as mixed media or just for the readers to read. I did DNF the book so maybe they come later but if that’s the case, past 70 percent is too far.
As for the writing, there is a lot of telling and no showing. The reader is told what is happening and how to feel about it and the why behind everything. I personally don’t enjoy this. At times, it felt like there was “magic information,” that characters had that didn’t make sense how anyone got that information or came to that conclusion.
Publication Date- February 23rd
Publisher- Storm Publishing
Overall Rating- 1 out of 5 stars
A special thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for an early review copy in exchange for an honest review.
What Worked: Okay, some things that worked. Even though I am a therapist myself, and have a hard time with books misrepresenting therapy, I felt that this premise was a good idea. The setup for a thriller was there. I think the author has potential after some of the things below are addressed. It's a quick read and bingeable. There is a diverse cast of characters though I think there should be more research and consideration on the diversity front.
What didn’t work: I actually DNF’d this book at 70 percent in. At 58 percent there is this quote, “Ever notice that if you leave just two spaces in the word ‘psychotherapist’, you get ‘ psycho the rapist.” No, just no. If there is time I would suggest reconsidering leaving this in before it makes it fully out on release day. I will own that I hold the identity of a therapist and that is blinding my view of this quote but as a whole I just find it really offensive and not necessary.
The plot is good, I really liked the concept of the book. However, there are a lot of inconsistencies that are easy to pick up on. I know when I read a thriller there will be inconsistencies, I really struggled to get past them in The Therapy Room. Something that could have made this book more enjoyable would be for the transcripts and old files to have been thrown in either as mixed media or just for the readers to read. I did DNF the book so maybe they come later but if that’s the case, past 70 percent is too far.
As for the writing, there is a lot of telling and no showing. The reader is told what is happening and how to feel about it and the why behind everything. I personally don’t enjoy this. At times, it felt like there was “magic information,” that characters had that didn’t make sense how anyone got that information or came to that conclusion.
December 24, 2023
The Therapy Room by Sam Baron is the first book in a series featuring FBI Agent Susan Parker, and my first book by this author. I picked up this book based on the intriguing plot and can report back that what makes this one really enjoyable is the shocking, intriguing and intricately woven story line. A serial killer named Splinter! At first this name put me off but as the story progressed, I came to like it. I liked how this story was unique and while some parts were a little predictable, I enjoyed the angle that it took. The ending perfectly sets up book 2. While there were some parts that I think could have been fleshed out a lot more and taken this book to a higher level, overall, it was enjoyable. The writing was a little clunky at times and took me out of the story as the characters would say things that didn’t seem natural or what someone would say at that time. Despite this, I would read book 2 to see how the story further develops, hopefully the characters will be further fleshed out as things go on. The inclusion of a main character with a child with a disability adds a layer of diversity that I appreciated. While I didn't fully connect with the main character, the overall experience of The Therapy Room was entertaining and fun. Overall, an enjoyable offering in the thriller/mystery genre.
January 12, 2024
The potential here was huge, abandoned farmhouse, chilling serial killer, underground rooms.... But sadly, it did not quite live up to what I imagined. I found the writing a little clumsy - I'm sure FBI agents don't really talk like that, it was a bit stiff and forced, almost like a dialogue. The suspect SLASH victim really got on my nerves after a while. But I did warm to Natalie, what a great kid! With a bit of polishing, I think this author can go a long way.
2 and a half stars, rounded up to 3.
2 and a half stars, rounded up to 3.
June 5, 2024
This was one of the worst books I have read. I only read it because of all the reviews saying it was a good thriller, but it was not. No shocker. Ends exactly how you think it will. Don't waste your time.
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January 11, 2024DNF @ 54%
The story really drew me in but I really just can't get past the clunky writing. The characters are incredibly stereotypical and the way information is revealed is very "tell don't show" in the sense that they're just asking questions like "oh, this happened, right?" "yes and xyz." They say weird things like "pardner" and have catchphrases that made me feel like I was watching an old timey detective show, not reading a modern novel. I might have been able to overlook this but once EMT was spelled out I just couldn't do it. Don't treat your readers like they're dumb!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC
The story really drew me in but I really just can't get past the clunky writing. The characters are incredibly stereotypical and the way information is revealed is very "tell don't show" in the sense that they're just asking questions like "oh, this happened, right?" "yes and xyz." They say weird things like "pardner" and have catchphrases that made me feel like I was watching an old timey detective show, not reading a modern novel. I might have been able to overlook this but once EMT was spelled out I just couldn't do it. Don't treat your readers like they're dumb!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC
March 10, 2024
*****I received this free audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
The actual story of the serial killer Splinter and all the characters were interesting and I enjoyed them. However, I feel the author tried to hard in adding diversity to their characters. I can appreciate diversity, but listening to the audiobook the different accents and dialects were off putting. Also, as a teacher for the Deaf, I was excited to see a Deaf character. However, it is clear by the written parts of this character that the author needed to do more research.
The actual story of the serial killer Splinter and all the characters were interesting and I enjoyed them. However, I feel the author tried to hard in adding diversity to their characters. I can appreciate diversity, but listening to the audiobook the different accents and dialects were off putting. Also, as a teacher for the Deaf, I was excited to see a Deaf character. However, it is clear by the written parts of this character that the author needed to do more research.
February 20, 2024
This book had a great idea and an interesting premise, however, there was a lot wrong with it. It was a checklist of racial and ethnic stereotypes. It seemed like the author took one person from every ethnicity and put them all in a law enforcement job. There were also many inconsistencies, like a child going to school ON Thanksgiving day. The setting was a fictional area in LA county, but the author did not capture the essence of southern California. These things tanked the book for me. I can't recommend this one.
February 23, 2024
5⭐️ I enjoyed the story! The fact that the publisher and author took the feedback about the original ending and made changes is so great! The new ending is so much better that it bumped my rating to a 5⭐️! The thing I loved most about this book is that it’s not the same old boring thriller plot we’ve all read a thousand times. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a thriller with a different storyline from all the others.
May 21, 2024
Great first book of a series that was written in an engaging and captivating manner by a new-to-me author!
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